Car heater



S. VERNET I Jan. 21,- 1936.

CAR HEATER s sheets sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. '8, 1923 I 5 I /2N/VENT0R Jan. 21; 1936, I s; VERNET. I v Y 2,028,260

CAB HEATER or inal Filed Aug. 8, 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 21, 1936. 5, VERNET M I 2,028,260 can Iii-mm? Original Filed Aug. 8, 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OAR HEATER Sergius Vernet, Brooklyn,

Foster-Vernay Corporation,

N. Y., asslgnor. to Pittsburgh, Pa... a

corporation of New York Application August s, 1928, Serial No. 298,242

. Renewed September 20, 1935 8 Claims. (01. 237-122) the temperature in the heater to a relatively high point.

One object of this invention is to provide a vapor heating system including automatic means for withdrawing .from the system a portion of the fluidwhen too great a pressure is generated in the system. A further object of this invention is to provide a heating system which will be readily controlled and which will automatically prevent some of the fluid from returning to the vaporizer if the pressure exceeds a predetermined amount.

It is a still further objectv of this invention to provide an automatic vapor heating system for motor vehicles in which a heat absorbing device may be desirably placed within an exhaust pipe of a motor vehicle, and in which the heating radiator such as a condenser is placed within the motor vehicle body, and is under automatic control to prevent undue pressures, and to permit extremely rapid-heating.

Another object of this invention is to provide a closed heating system comprising a radiator condenser, a vaporizer and conducting means operatively connecting the radiator condenser and the vaporizer for the flow of vaporized heating medium from the vaporizer to the radiator condenser and the return. of condensate from the radiator condenser to the vaporizer, the system being under automatic control effective as the pressure increases for withholding condensate from circulation back'to the vaporizer from the radiator condenser.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description thereof in conjunction with the attached drawings which illustrate preferred forms of embodiment of my invention, and in which Fig. 1 is aside elevation, partly in section, of the radiator and vaporizer showing the details of construction.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the relief valve of Fig. 1. r

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a part of the radiator element showing a modified form of automatic control. n

Fig. 4' is a vertical section of a still further modified form of radiator element. 4

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a vaporizer or boiler.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are vertical sections of a modifled form of radiator showing slightly different conditions within the pressure control.

Fig. 9 is a digrammatic view, partly in section, showing an electric heating element and pres-- sure controlling mechanism.

Figs. 10 and.11 are side elevations of a vapor heating system, partly in section, in which the exhaust pipe is provided with a by-pass for the vaporizer or boiler and showing the on and oil positions.

The principal parts of a vapor heating system are the radiating element Ill and the vaporizer l2 which is shown in Fig. 1 to be ahollow bailie plate in the muflier It on the usual exhaust gas pipe iii. A hollow chamber in the baflle I2 is adapted to be filled with a small quantity of a suitable liquid such as alcohol ,and water l2a which will be heated during operation of the motor vehicle engine and the vapor will pass through the inlet pipe l1 and through the extension lla into the chamber Illa. in the radiating element. This element may "be provided with suitable fins lob which are exposed to the cooler air of the vehicle body causing the vapor to condense and return through the discharge valve l8 and through the discharge conduit I! back into the fluid chamber in the bailie l2 to be revaporized. In order. to bring about a rapid heat exchange, it is desirable to provide the vaporizer or boiler I! with a quantity of fluid sufilcient to generate an amount of steam which will heat the radiating element l0 quickly. However, if all the fluid in the system is allowed to become vaporized, a very high pressure may be set up which is undesirable. To prevent excessive pressure, a pressure control 20 is provided for the element In including a receptacle having a forwardly extending nozzle 2| projecting into the main vapor chamber. As the pressure increases in the chamber. Illa, some vapor will be forced through the nozzle 2! into the chamber 22 where, upon cooling, it will condense to form liquid. As long as the pressure is maintained in the chamber' Illa, vapor will continue to pass through the nozzle 2| and the condensed liquid will be retained in the chamber 22 by the pressure of the vapor in the chamber Illa. This liquid is thus automatically kept out of the vaporization cycle as long as the pressure in the chamber Ina prevails, maintaining an automatic pressure regulation. when the pressure in the in the chamber 22 will return to the vaporizing element l2.

When it is desired, for the convenience of the user, to shut ofi theheater, a hand-controlled arm l8b is provided for the discharge valve l8 and by partially rotating this handle, the conduit therein will be closed. This will prevent the condensed liquid from returning to the heat ing element and obviously more vapor cannot be formed, and the heater will cease to function.

It is to be understood that the heating element l0, shown in Fig. 1, will be placed in a compartment desired to be heated in the motor vehicle.

shown at 23b, to permit the circulation of air so as to bring about the necessary heat exchange. The device is shown mounted on the usual floor boards 24 of the vehicle. The conduits l1 and I! may be wrapped with an appropriate wrapplug 25 to prevent heat losses and to prevent the pressure becomes excessive.

external damage to these conduits. The battle -l2,-to which the conduits Hand I9 are attached,

may be a substitute for the usual baflie in the muiiler except that it will be hollow and of sufilcient capacity to receive the fluid, and it will be provided with the usual central aperture lib to allow the exhaust gases to pass therethrough. Although this bailie may be placed in the present-day muflier, it is contemplated to construct such a baflie and heating element while the muffier is being built and place it in the muiller in.

the first instance. In lieu of the baflle l2, it will be understood that a thimble or other vaporizer projected into the ordinary munler may be used.

An air relief valve 26 shown in greater detail in Fig. 2 is provided to relieve the air with which the system is filled if in exceptional cases closure disc or valve 21 actuated by the spring 28 against the valve seat 29. A screw 280. operating.

.against the spring 28 will increase the tension on the spring 28 as is well known in the art. By adjusting the screw 28a and the spring 28, the spring pressure may be adjusted so that if the gas pressure within the system becomes too great, gas such as air may escape through the valve 'to the atmosphere. By locating the valve 21 in the end of the heater remote from that at which the vapor enters, the incoming vapor forces the air toward the valve, so that when the pressure reaches that at which the valve is set to open only the air escapes therefrom, re-

.ducing the pressure and kee ing the condensable vapor in the system. It fi wtended to adlust the relief valves sa as to a w all the air to escape from the system, but only to guard against the results of. an excessive pressure being developed within the system by abnormal conditions.

The retention of air in the system tends to retard condensate from being forced up the condensatereturn tube when vapor is being formed rapidly in the vaporizer. For if there were a vacuum in the system any sudden excess of pressure in the. vaporizer over that in the radiator would result in vapor from the vaporizer rushing up the return tube and forcing the conden sate back into the radiator, thus interfering with the system functioning smoothly. But witl air in the system, to start with, at atmospheric pressure, a few drops of water suddenlyyaporizing in the boiler will not cause such a tremendous difference in pressure between theboiler and the radiator; and accordingly there will not be the a The device is preferably supported by a sheet metal frame 23 suitably perforated, as

It comprises a tendency for a sudden rush of steam trying to get up to the radiator to equalize this pressure. While the pressure may suddenly increase by a pound or two, this will only be a small percentage of the pressure already in the system, and as the percentage difference is so small, it will equalize by the steam'fiowing up through its normal path in the steam pipe and will not hold back or reverse the return flow of water in the water return line.

A modified form of automatic control comprising a discharge valve is shown in the radiating element 40 of Fig. 3 having the inlet pipe 4|, the outlet pipe 42 and a flexible diaphragm 43 in the end of the heating element. A valve supporting member 44 having a cone-shaped plug valve 45 on the end thereof is pivoted at 46 to the casing of the heating element 40 and the other end of the valve supporting member 44 is fixed to the diaphragm 43. As the pressure increases in the heating element 40, the diaphragm 43 will be forced outward, thus forcing cone valve 45 into the valve seat in the discharge conduit 42 and shutting off the return of the condensed liquid. A manually controlled handle 41 may be provided to shut off the return of the condensed liquid at will, and any preferred form of locking mechanism may be provided to limit the rate of return of the liquid and thus the amount of heat generated.

The heating element 60,shown in Fig. 4 is ated valve 63 near the bottom of the heating element so that the condensed liquid may return. The valve 63 is provided with the necessary spring pressed plug 631:. operating on the valve seat to prevent leaks and as the handle of the valve is turned, communication is shut off through the valve. This heating element 60 is provided with a second substantially closed cylinder 65 within the outer cylinder 60 and one end isprovided with an inlet pipe 66 substantially parallel and close to the bottom of the outer cylinder of the heating element. As the vapor is formed, the radiating element 60 will become warm, condensing the vapor and forming a liquid which will return through the valve and discharge pipe back to the vaporizer. However, if the pressure increases, the vapor which has entered the inner chamber and condensed there-. in will be held by the pressure on the remainder vaporizer. As the pressure is reduced, the liquid entrapped in the cylinder will be relieved and will then return to the vaporizer. "A slight incline is necessary in order that the liquid may flow by gravity f om the cylinder 65 through the discharge conduit 82 and into the vaporizer.

In order to provide'an. adequate heating area for the vaporizer, the exhaust pipe 12, shown in Fig. 5, is cut and has a section removed therefrom, which section is covered by the enlarged cylinder 14 and in this cylinder 14 an irregularly shaped boiler I5 is fitted. The inlet pipe "of the radiator condenser will be attached to the upper end 18 of the boiler 15 and the discharge conduit will be connected to the lower end I1 so that the vapor which is formed may pass directly into the radiator condenser. The volume occupied by the boiler 15 should be, added to the volume of the normal exhaust pipe and the cylinder 14 should be slightly greater than these -two sums so that. there willgbe noincreased back pressure on the exhaust gases. It is also' ondary receptacle 82. The radiator BI is proceptacle. An inlet plug 88 is provided inthevided with a sloping bottom 8Ia. havingasump 8Ib in the bottom thereof. The inlet and outlet pipe 83' enters the radiator through this sump, having an outlet conduit 8811. opening to receive liquid from the sump at a level considerably below the top of the main conduit of the pipe'83. A suitable valve 84, such as heretofore described, is provided to prevent the condensate which accumulates in the sump 8") from returning through the return conduit 83a and into the pipe 83. Substantially at the bottom of the sump 8": and connected into the auxiliary receptacle 82 is a short pipe 85 extending into a sump 82a, in the bottom of the auxiliary reradiator 8I and an air relief valve 81 is also provided. This valve is the usual one-way valve provided with 'the usual spring-pressed plunger to prevent air pressure from leaking in.

In operation, as the heating medium is vaporized, it will pass through the inlet pipe '88 and into the radiator 8| giving up its heat. In cooling, the vaporized heating medium will be condensed and will run down the sloped bottom 8Ia into the sump 8Ib. Some of the heating medium will be forced by the pressure throughthe pipe 85 and into the auxiliary receptacle 82 where it will accumulate $5 shown at 821). When sufficient condensate as accumulated in the sump 8Ib so as to overflow the top of the conduit 83a, l

which. condition is shown in Fig. 8, the condensate will return through the conduit 83a and discharge by way of conduit 83 ck to the vaporizer. Normally the liquid leve the radiator 8G is approximately as shown Fig. 6, and as additional heating medium is condensed within the radiator 8|, it will flow into the sump and overflow into conduit 83a. If the pressure in the system becomes excessive, howeve the pressure in chamber 8| will be sufficiently larger than the back pressure in the auxiliary receptacle 82 to reduce the liquid level in the sump 8th by forcing liquid into the auxiliary receptacle 82. The liquid level being below the top oi conduit'tta, the condensed heating medium is not returned to the vaporizer, and temporarily there will be an interruption of the cycle norliquid through the pipe 85 backinto the sump b; and eventually, if the valve 84 is left open, liquid will overflow through the conduit 83a. for return to the vaporizer. As pointed out in connection with preceding embodiments of the invention, the valve84 may be closed to dam up the condensate in the sump 8Ib and stop circulation of heating medium, causing the boiler to run dry. It will be apparent that so long as the valve 84 is open, the operation is entirely automatic and depends upon the amount;

[of liquid entrapped in the first place, and the subsequent increases in pressure. The valve 81/ iser to evaporate. By the use of such intermewhich is a fluid receptacle surrounding a resistance coil I8I energized in some suitable manner by a source of current I82. It will be clear, however, from the following description that suitable heat .from the exhaust gases may be used in lieu of the coil IN. The vaporized liquid will be condensed in the primary radiating 'element I84,which is also provided with asmaller secondary rediating tube I86, the end of which is connected ,into the control chamber I88.v

The operation is as follows: The vapor rises through the tube or radiating element I84 driving the air before it and, as the pressure increases, the air is driven through the tube I86.

Should thepressure in the primary radiating element I84 becomeexcesslve, the vapor will travel down through the secondary radiating element I86 condensing into liquid and collecting in the chamber I88, as shown at I88. The

greater the pressure the more condensed liquid in the regulating reservoir I88 and the liquid will thus be returned to the heating element I88.-

The relation of the amount of liquid to the total volume 0 the system including heating chamber I88, tube I84,.tube I88, and chamber I88, and'the comparative sizes of the regulating reservoir I88 and the volume of condensate within the primary coils I84 will control the operating pressure of the device, providing adequate heat but limiting the pressure. to a safe range.

An important feature of this device is .that it has no openings and, no relief valves to leak orget out of order, and also allows a small diameter radiating tube. to be used with its greatest emciency without making it necessary to expel the air from the system.

' A further modification in the location of the vaporizer is shown in Figs. 10 and 11 in which the radiator. I28 is placed in the compartment to be warmed in the motor vehicle, and a bypass I122 is placed in the exhaust pipe I23 before passing into the muiiier I24. A valve l25 which maybe manually controlled is provided near the engine end of the .by-pass and it may be adjusted to deflect the gas from the direct passageway 622a to the portion H21) in which the vaporizer 826 is placed. In order to shut off thedevice, the valve 625 may be moved to shut oif the by-'-pass and permit the regular'flow through the direct opening into the mufiler I24. In general the operating principle of this vapor heater comprises the evaporation of a smallquantity of liquid, such as the combination of water and alcohol which will form a vapor in the closed system and which will subsequently be condensed in the radiator placed in a com- 'partment to be warmed in a motor or other ,uncontrollable exhaust gas pipe, .as well as the vented from returninginherent disadvantages of transferring an odorous and undesirable gas. are obviated. The vaporizer may be placed in the uiiler or in a bypass in the exhaust pipe or irectly in the ex-- haustpipe itself, due consideration being given to the fact that the exhaust pipe must be suitably enlarged if the boiler is to be placed therein to prevent back pressure. Adequate heat is always provided when the vehlcie engine is in operation althoughmeans are provided for shutting oi! the heat when the same is not desired, and for regulating the system to prevent over-heating of the passenger vehicle.

The radiator condenser, in general, comprises a small enclosure to receive the vapor and, in order to aid the heat transfer, it may be provided with fins. Various arrangements for returning the condensate have been illustrated, it being understood that if the condensate is preto the vaporizer, that further heating is prevented. Inasmuch as all the liquid is adapted to be evaporated, con-' tinued heating will not increase the pressure but willmerely superheat the vapor} A further important feature in this device is that, by using a larger quantity of liquid than is safe with an uncontrolled heater, the heating isbrought about with greater rapidity which is highly desirable in use, but some provision must be made to remove the excess liquid from thevaporization cycle as the pressure rises. To use suflicient liquid to bring about rapid heating would bring about a pressure far greater than is desirable. With the heating system disclosed in the drawings, a control is provided which may be embodied in a variety of different forms. In general, the control of the return of condensate to the vaporizer is made responsive to changes in pressure. It issometimes desirable to provide means for removing part of the air pressure, as a limited amount of air will cause an extremely great pressure due to its expansion. The pressure relief valve is provided for this purpose and when the air is relieved, the vapor may be entirely withdrawn from the vaporizer which will bring about a greater rate of condensation in some parts of the radiating element than others. It is this condensation differential which causes a sumcient pressure drop to return the condensed-vapor back to the heating element. The cycle continually controls the pressure and results in the heater being fully automatic. In other words, the amount of liquid in the system exceeds what is requisite to develop bv its condensation a desired degree of-heat at the radiator, so that when enough liquid has been vaporized to give the desired temperature at the radiator there will be a residuum or excess of liquid remaining, the full vaporization of which and its addition to the vapor already formed would result in undue heat and pressure. If the back flow of the condensate .were unrestrained it would, if the heat at the vaporizer were suflicient, be all turned into vapor. But by my improved system the excess of liquid, over and above that necessary to produce the desired temperature by its condensation, is automatically trapped and withheld from circulation back from the radiator condenser, and only enough liquid is allowed to return to the vaporizing chamber to produce sufllcient vapor to keep the radiator condenser at the desired temperature. The accumulating of the heating methe spirit dium may take place in the radiator condenser proper as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, or in a segregated chamber or receptacle, whether within or without the radiator, as in Figs. 1,

4, 6, '1, 8 and 9. The invention deals broadly While I have shown preferred forms of em-,

bodiment of the device, I am aware that other modifications may bemade therein, and I therefore desire a broad interpretation of the device within the spirit and scope thereof, and within and scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In combination, a radiator condenser, a vaporizer, conducting means uniting the vaporizer and the radiator condenser as a closed system for the flow of vaporized heating medium from the vaporizer to the radiator condenser and the return of condensate from the radiator condenser to the vaporizer, and control means automatically responsive to a plus or minus variation in a physical characteristic imparted by the vaporizer to the heating medium in the radiator condenser for trapping and withholding respectively more or less condensate from circulation before flowing back from the radiator condenser, said control means including a receptacle communicating with the radiator condenser for receiving heating medium therefrom and returning heating medium thereto in response to variations in said physical characterisic.

2. In combination, a radiator condenser, a vaporizer, conducting means uniting the vaporizer for the flow of vaporized heating medium from the vaporizer to the radiator-condenser and the return of condensate from the radiator condenser to the vaporizer, and means automatically responsive to increases and decreases in the pressure of the heating medium in the radiator condenser for trapping and withholding respectively more or, less condensate from circulation before flowing back from the radiator condenser.

3. In combination, a radiator condenser, a vaporizer, conducting means uniting the vaporizer and the radiator condenser as a closed system for the flow of vaporized heating medium from the vaporizer to the radiator condenser and the return of condensate from the radiator condenser tothe vaporizer, and. control means automatically responsive to increases and decreases in the pressure of the heating medium in the from the vaporizer to the radiator condenser and the return of condensate from the radiator condenser tothe vaporizer, and control means automatically responsive to increases and decreases in the pressure of the heating medium in the radiator condenser for trapping and withholding respectively more or less condensate from returning from the radiator condenser, said control means including a receptacle containing entrapped non-condensing gas and communicating with the radiator condenser for receiving heating medium therefrom and returning heating medium thereto as the pressure in the radiator condenser is higher or lower than the pressure of said entrapped non-condensing gas.

5. In combination with the exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine, a vapor generator for absorbing heat from the exhaust "gases passing along said conduit, a radiator condenser, conducting means uniting the vapor generator and the radiator condenser in a hermetically sealed heating system, a heating medium in the system adapted to be converted into vapor by the vapor generator, condensed in the radiator condenser and returned to the vapor generator, and regulating means responsive to increases and decreases in the pressure in the system for trapping and withholding respectively more or less condensate from returning from the radiator condenser, said regulating means being operatively connected to the radiator condenser to receive heating medium therefrom and return heating medium thereto with increases and decreases in said pressure respectively.

, 6. In combination, a radiator condenser, a vaporizer, conducting means uniting the vaporizer and the radiator condenser as a closed system for the flow o1 vaporized heating medium from the vaporizer to the radiator condenser and the return-of condensate from the radiator condenser to'the vaporizer, and valve mechanism automatically responsive to the pressure of the heating medium inp-the radiator condenser for controlling the discharge ofcondensed heating medium from said radiator condenser for return to said vaporizer.

7. In combination with the exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine, a vapor generator for absorbing heat from the exhaust gases passing along said conduit, a radiator condenser, conducting means uniting the vapor generator and the radiator condenser in a hermetically sealed heating system, a heating medium in'the system adapted to be converted into vapor by the. vapor generator, condensed in the radiator condenser and returned to the vapor generator, the quantity of such heating medium in the system being limited so as to be substantially entirely driven off from. the vapor generator under normal running conditions, and means responsive to increases and decreases in the pressure in the system for regulating the amount of heating medium in active circulation in the system, said regulating means decreasing the quantity of condensate flowingback from the radiator condenser with increases in said pressure and increasing said quantity with decreases in said pressure by accumulating heating medium circulated to the radiator condenser and releasing the same for return respectively.

8. In combination, a radiator condenser, a vaporizer, conducting means uniting the vapor: izer and the radiator condenser as a closed system for the flow of vaporized heating medium from the vaporizer to the radiator condenser and the return of condensate from the radiator! condenser to the vaporizer, and control means responsive to the pressure of the heating medium in the radiator condenser for regulating the quantity of heating medium in active circulation in the system, said control means cooperating with the radiator condenser for storing varying quantities of the heating medium s delivered to the radiator condenser by said conducting means and withholding it irom return.

SERGIUS VERNET. 

